Forget sibling rivalry. Sisters Jayne and Joan Michaels of 2Michaels Design have mastered their modern design aesthetic together.
Raised in Palm Springs, followed by extensive travels to Italy, Jayne and Joan now reside in New York City where they design residential and commercial spaces. Their self-described "spare, yet luxurious" trademark is what attracts me most to their work. With strategic use of saturated colour, they have created a warmth in otherwise modern spaces that I find both soothing and exciting. I would love to visit one of their spaces in the future (a Kips Bay showhouse maybe?).
Until then, a few inspiring words from Jayne and Joan.
Becoming Designers
Our first design break was meeting Jen Renzi who was a senior editor at Interior Design magazine. She brought our work to the attention of Cindy Allen (the editor in chief) and she featured my apartment in the magazine. It brought work and lasting friendships with both Jen and Cindy.
Inspiration
Our favorite places to shop are 1st Dibs @ NYDC (it just opened and it's fabulous), Weinberg Modern on the 4th floor of NYDC, ABC Carpet and Home, Magen H Gallery on East 11th street and Bergdorf Goodman.
Globetrotting
Our most memorable travel destination was India. In 2002 we attended a "royal wedding" in Rajasthan, the culture, the colors, the flavors, the sheer beauty of the country was astounding and unforgettable.
What is the preferred room to design in a home?
We are drawn to libraries/dens. Colors can be more dramatic, furniture a little looser and with books you can't go wrong.
What's the biggest design risk you've taken?
Definitely designing a room at the Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse. It's like the Academy Awards of showhouses and it's a terrifying risk, you either sink or swim. Luckily we swam!
[Above is a clip during the 2Michaels installation at Kips Bay. Jayne says that a "decorated room" is a dead room to them, and that it's more important to work on layering the elements. I loved this statement - not a fabricated, but a meaningful space.]
A huge thank you to Jayne and Joan for taking part in this series!
1 comment:
Those interiors are very lovely and very polished. I simply have to many little things collected over the years to be able to live like that though... Maybe one day when I'm all grown-up ;-) xo
Post a Comment